Junk cars

by Bruce Sloane, Fall 2003; update by Don Audette, Winter-Spring 2006

Update 2006: Removal of junk vehicles in the county is progressing. Paraphrasing Rappahannock County Code, Section 170-31, a property owner can keep as many inoperable or junk vehicles as wanted as long as they are within a fully enclosed structure. In addition, on a lot of one-half acre up to one acre, one such vehicle may be exposed to public view. On less than a half-acre, no such vehicle may be exposed; and on one acre or more, two may be exposed. In all cases, the exposed vehicles must be upright and not in any required yard, for example, the setback area (the land between a building and a road). Exceptions from these regulations are vehicles that have been in place since 1973 or before and farm equipment, which are grandfathered in and may be left where they are.

The county has a contractor who will haul away inoperable or junk vehicles that were on a property when it was purchased, provided the new property owner signs a release. There is no charge to the property owner. The County Administrator’s Office has a form for such action. The county will not haul away inoperable or junk vehicles belonging to the current owner of a property. Rural counties once had no public landfill or any other easy way of disposing of unwanted vehicles, hazardous materials, or other waste, and most farms had an informal dump on them to handle the problem. Today, environmental sensibilities and regulations are changing. Potential property owners often include removal of abandoned vehicles in the property purchase agreement.

Background: One of the pleasures to be enjoyed in scenic Rappahannock County is driving through the beautiful pastoral countryside. Almost every bend takes you past sweeping mountain vistas, well-tended farms, lush green woods, clear bubbling streams—and rusting junk cars.

Junk cars may be more than a visual blight, polluting water and soil from oil and other leaks from them. Photo courtesy Mitzie Young.

Nearly all the junk vehicles are there illegally. A 1986 county ordinance permits property owners to store or place a maximum of two inoperable or junk vehicles on their property unless they are enclosed in a building. A casual drive through Rappahannock’s hills will reveal dozens of violations—from three or four old pickups to fields containing a score or more of abandoned rusting cars, trucks, trailers, and other vehicles.

None of these junk-car lots add to the beauty of the county. Some can be thought of as a minor blemish on the verdant countryside, a small imperfection in the idyllic scenery. However, others are unqualified eyesores. Furthermore, they may be more than a visual blight, as oil and other fluids from them leak into and pollute the water and soil.

The problem of junk cars came into prominence during construction of the new Rappahannock National Bank building on Rt. 211. Years ago this was the site of an auto repair shop. When the highway was upgraded to four lanes, it took most of the shop’s property. The business moved to its current location outside Sperryville and is now known as the B & B Service Center. B & B maintained ownership of a small strip adjacent to the highway that has been used since for storing used cars. Until recently, the cars were almost entirely shielded from passers-by by a row of trees.

During construction of the new bank, however, nearly all of the trees were removed. This exposed the cars to view from travelers on Rt. 211 and, helped by interviews and stories in the Rappahannock News, has focused public attention on the problem.

Several citizen organizations, including RLEP, have worked many years with the county’s government to protect and preserve our rural character and scenic beauty. In a letter to the Board of Supervisors of Rappahannock County, RLEP President Bob Lander said that junk cars are "in contrast with what we all hold dear." A fair and equitable solution to the problem—not limited to only the most visible examples—is needed. He urged the Board of Supervisors to take action that would address all the illegal junk-car collections throughout the county.

County Administrator John McCarthy readily acknowledges that junk cars are a problem. Some abandoned vehicles may be legal—grandfathered in because they were abandoned before 1986, when the ordinance was passed. That may be the case with at least some of the vehicles along Rt. 211. Three separate zoning ordinances have been passed on the property over the years. Some of the vehicles may not be permanently abandoned but instead temporarily stored on the site.

McCarthy also acknowledged that the county's usual way of handling such issues is on a complaint basis. Is this best way to treat this problem? Most definitely not. Until recently there were few complaints about junk cars. County Attorney Peter Luke said that the problem is "being looked into."

However, there is no excuse for landowners who have abandoned vehicles they have no use for, since McCarthy said that the county will remove junk cars at no charge to the landowner. "We can sell the car for about what it costs to remove it," he said. "If you have any old cars you want removed from your property, call the Administrator's Office and we’ll send you the form." The number is 540-675-5330.